Family face Pembrokeshire beach hut council tax premium
The applicant wished to secure a Certificate of Lawfulness for use of the property as a beach hut, in order to seek an exemption from the second homes council tax premium.
For a Certificate of Lawfulness to be granted, an applicant must demonstrate that the use has been continuous and without interruption for a period of at least 10 years.
Late last year, Pembrokeshire councillors voted to drop the council tax premium on second homes from 200 per cent, effectively a treble rate of council tax, to 150 per cent.
Prior to that, second-home owners in the county were charged a 100 per cent (or double rate) premium.
An officer report recommending a Lawful Development Certificate be issued said there was no reason to doubt the applicant's claim that the property known as Argo Fach has been in use as a beach hut and not for residential use.
It goes on to say that Argo Fach 'an extended wooden beach hut that is very modest in size, scale and facilities,' at the rear of Poppit Sands car park, with its usage going back many years.
It adds: 'The application form indicates that the use (as a beach hut) began more than 10 years before the date of the application, in 1954, as a beach hut for family use in the summer. The cover letter discusses the start of use as a beach hut, presumed to be 1954 and most likely arranged by the applicant's father (who was a solicitor) on an assumed 100-year lease.'
It says the applicant states that, other than for during childhood and then returning to retire in 2000, he has lived outside of Wales and had little do with the running of the property, which his mother looked after.
'The application states that the property is used when family visit the beach and is occupied for two weeks of the year when family members visit from Essex,' it adds.
It concludes: 'Based on [a sworn affidavit], the Authority's recent research, and the submitted evidence, it is reasonably clear that from 1954, the beach hut known as Argo Fach has been in use as a hut to support beach and social activity. The Authority therefore has no reason to doubt what is said in the application.'
A Certificate of Lawfulness was issued by park planners.
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